Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-25


nANp-oReAN MAN, TIE STREET SINGERS AND TIRE
WRESTLING GIRI-FATHER NGLySNs FUTURE As A
POLITICAL LEApER-NEw YORK AND THE JUBILEE.
spsci., Correspondents Of TIE EVENING STAR
NEW YORK, June "a.
The tfavenng troubadours of ancient times
would II alive to-day, be moved with envy TO dis
cover how the modern street musician In New
York makes money. There are In the metropolis
more than 1900 persons who make living or bet
ter by providing street music. The little brass
bands that raise the gorge OF their victims with
atrocious music. and the organ grinders form a
majority OF this multitude who 1--we by making
noise. There is the difference between the Ger.
man bands and the Italian organists that while
the former play In front OF German saloons the
Italians never have TO grind their organs In the
Italian district OF New York. The most eccentric
music maker In New York Is an elderly man, APP
parently half Wit, who plays hurdy- gurdy on
Every Saturday afternoon at 5 O'Clock this man
mas for twenty years appeared on west 18th street
ana s, contiguous !horoughfares He carries an
derS and gr1nds it with malice aforethought
while he waltzes about the sidewalk TO the rythm
one leg over hydranI hops out into the the middle
OF the street. and jumps up and down, accom-
panying his hurdy -gurdy all the while with
siasm OF his auditors and he makes enough money
In his saturday afternoon pilgrimage TO pay his
way the rest OF the week.
AN OLD WOMAN AND HER POODLE
An old woman sits every evening on Fifth ave-
nue., near 10th street, and grinds oheezy organ.
cite. II emits old, time-worn tunes, that would
naturally repel the listener, but the aged woman
makes enough at her post 10 support large
family. little poodle sits on its haunches at her
rect hour after hour, holding In It's mouth little
basket, into which the Contributor drops his
money. She looks TO the stranger the picture OF
detection, but she and her dog make the comforta-
q 40
Inc most notable noise maker IN New York is an
OLD, gaunt man, who appears every pleasant even
Ing on l4th street. His Instrument has no coun-
terpart In America II is an old, battered spinet,
which has been played upon so much that 1t gives
out only duh, distractful noise, without the
is source 81 pront to the old man for persons who
would not stop TO listen TO a hand organ or q
street band are attracted by the terrible tnult OF
its old operator. He has been playing the old
music machine at one point on 14th street for
twenty years and he Is worth much more than
In the Old TIN basin that he keeps on his sptnet
WANDERING NrNsTRKLs
The most prosperous street musicians OF New
York are band OF six colored minstrel singers.
They appear every afternoon on certain residence
streets OF the West side and give a complete min.
s s snow with songs clog dances and ancient
jokes Every summer evening after the dinner
hour the thousands OF New Workers who 1--we In
nats and boarding houses, cluster on the front
them real diversion is welcome II is al this hour
that the strolling musicians make their money
Inc pest and most widely-known street musi-
his a pathetic interest Years ago he was the
principal tenor In the finest opera troupe that
then delighted Paris He married, and all the
world went wei with him. Suddenly his eyesight
began to fail: when he went TO an occulist he
learned the terrible truth that he was doomed To
perpetual blindness
When he was no longer able to read the notes OF
music ne lost his position In the opera troupe.
With his wife, whom he had married In the days
OF bis prosperity, he came TO America Starvation
stared him 10 the face and ne curbed his pride to
the extent OF going on the street at singing. He
has powerful voice and sings the Marseiliaise I'm
pedestrian cannot help stopping to listen to him,
and every Frenchman throws up his hat and goes
wild with enthusiasm. His wife, playing a har-
man makes an average Income OF s. per day
NO song for outdoor music SURPRISES the 'Mar-
se.la1se." The blind Frenchman above alluded to.
an Italian woman with one arm who invades GER
tain streets on the west side and sings the national
French air In high shrill key: She makes an
average income or 81 day aud she is more In.
de6ted to her missing arm than to her not pleas.
ant voice for 1t.
THE WRESTLING GIRL
Some years ago girl with red hair and a win.
some face caused quite a sensation by whistiine
on the streets OF New York. A theatrical manager
heard her and induced her to 90 on the stage She
went west and made wide reputation wnistling
at church concerts. rich young man, charmed
with her whistling and her face, married her, and
shefs now lady OF fashion and wealth.
The love OF New Workers Ior street music Is H.
Illustrated by the case or the colored man who has
for several seasons been whistling ali over the
country with one or the theatrical troupes. He
was formerly laborer In a livery stable. he fell
sick and destitutiOn overlook him. When he was
able TO hobble down the street for the FIRST time
after his recovery, he relieved his feelings by
whiSthng mourntul tune taught him by his
grandmother, who claimed TO have learned IL IRON
brought them into slavery from Africa A theatel
manager happened TO hear the Afrlcan's sad but
beautiful music and approached him with the
words:
.sDo you want to earn some money!"
''Deed dc, boss, said the colored man. 'Tve
been sick, an we Amt got mouthIul TO eat In de
house."
I'll give you $50 week to come with me and
whistle on the stage" said the manager The ofiel
was Godsend TO the African. He went on The
stage, whistlng during the theatrical season, and
In the picnic season " the summer he makes SIC
or more day whlstling Tor pleasure parties.
A curious experiment INDUCED In by young mer
about town VINO have q feeling or resentment
toward street bands Is TO get pieces OF lemons
stand before the musicians Just they prepare &C
play and begin TO suck the sour fruit. 1t is said
that no musician can shape his lips TO blow his
horn when looking al q man eating lemons, and
much money Is usually wsgered on the result Of
the experiment. AMOS j. CUMMING6
n.
DR. M'GLYNN'S POLITICAL FUTURE.
No one who knows the man wonders at the con.
tinued interest manifested in the case OF DIR. Nc.
Glynn. He is destined TO occupy even largeI
place In public life than he does now, for his tai
ents are OF an extraordinary order, and his ear
nestness and force prodigous George is Tor George
McGlynn Is for George aud the multi ude; as Yet
be is not Tor McGlynn. Despite the acrimony OF
politics he holds the respect OF all men, because
his sincerity is unquestiOned and his purpose high
For years he has fretied under the rod or the
church, and his accommodation Will insure q
certain support from the Protestant voters.
have 1t on the best authority that he Will begin a
political career ia the FALL and with his e.oquence,
learning and force OF character, he will weld q
vast influence among the congIoInerat1on OF pomp-
Gus business men, lgnorant demagogues, noisy
politicians and hayseed legislators at Albany.
kcGiynn stands head and shoulders above the
other leaders OF wOrk1ngmen In intelligence and
learning, and he viii snow Tor the rrst time the
results that can be gained from the vast labor
vote and support In New York city.
II is the labor element that makes politics Qui-
eScent just now. Many statesman" as be
stands perplexed and banned by the curious devel-
oplnento o. the times gazeS Ong1ngly after the de-
parting steamer or the arttul Balne, OF the State
OF Maine who leaves the turmoil and muddle be-
hind him and plunges amiabiy into the turg1d rev.
elry OF the queens jubilee. Sbrewd MI. Blaine.
The cable dispatches are alive with him, even 10
the exclusion or Victoria herself.